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Re: Extra drawn frames & swarm control

Since we buy our boxes (and they already have handholds milled into them), i've been thinking of trying some strips of masonite stapled to the inside of the box to act as the "rabbit". I know one guy down here that did that, and said he had good luck. Of course, the strips can be simply pulled out if not needed.

deknow

"Imagine a world in which we are all enlightened by objective truths rather than offended by them."Neil Tyson

Re: Extra drawn frames & swarm control

Dean, you only need 1/16" deep rabbet to hold the divider.

Originally Posted by deknow

Since we buy our boxes (and they already have handholds milled into them), i've been thinking of trying some strips of masonite stapled to the inside of the box to act as the "rabbit". I know one guy down here that did that, and said he had good luck. Of course, the strips can be simply pulled out if not needed.

Re: Extra drawn frames & swarm control

You can make the rabbet with a router if the boxes are assembled. Clamp a cleat inside the box to be used as a guide. Set the depth, of the cutter, and slide the router along the cleat. The depth of the cut should match the frame rest so bees can't cross over. If the hand holds are too deep, and the rabbet will cur into them, make it shallower and add a block between the divider and the frame rest to fill in that gap.

Re: Extra drawn frames & swarm control

Originally Posted by deknow

... now, if I could figure out a way to work this with the rabbit on the outside, I'd be in business

If all your boxes are already assembled, and you want to divide just a few, cut a scrap piece to the right size to act as a temporary spacer from inside the box wall, then screw the divider in place. Move the spacer to the other end and repeat, and you're done.

If you have a lot of boxes to do, build a router sled/jig from some scrap, sized to fit against a box edge and guide the router in the right location. Stand the boxes on the side you want to route/dado, clamp the sled, cut the slot. Easy peasy.

Re: Extra drawn frames & swarm control

Mike, yes, I could also do it with a skill saw and a guide....I was just having fun

But more seriously, I do think that newer beeks with little equipment on hand (all of it newish), and limited tooling could cut the masonite and the divider with a skill saw and staple in masonite guides with a $10 electric stapler without making any irreversible changes to the equipment...and hopefully without making ay irreversible changes to the number of fingers on each hand. I'm just saying that for someone without a complete shop setup and with limited experience, this could be accomplished safely and easily at a portable work bench outside on a sunny day with a skill saw.

deknow

"Imagine a world in which we are all enlightened by objective truths rather than offended by them."Neil Tyson

Re: Extra drawn frames & swarm control

Re: Extra drawn frames & swarm control

Originally Posted by deknow

Mike, yes, I could also do it with a skill saw and a guide....I was just having fun

But more seriously, I do think that newer beeks with little equipment on hand (all of it newish), and limited tooling could cut the masonite and the divider with a skill saw and staple in masonite guides with a $10 electric stapler without making any irreversible changes to the equipment...and hopefully without making ay irreversible changes to the number of fingers on each hand. I'm just saying that for someone without a complete shop setup and with limited experience, this could be accomplished safely and easily at a portable work bench outside on a sunny day with a skill saw.

deknow

I so have little equipment, and currently only a skill saw. I saw this vid from the Fat Bee Man and thought it was pretty brilliant a simple queen castle or a double nuc box:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-c6MQbEs14

I'm a big fan of FBM's vids. I think I'll do what deknow said, attach a strip or extra board inside the walls to make my rabbits, and will make this queen castle / double nuc box.

Re: Extra drawn frames & swarm control

Re: Extra drawn frames & swarm control

Maybe I'm wrong about what Brushy uses. It is smooth on both sides. The two castles that I've used for the past two years have done well - no warping. However, one problem with them is that the dividers are VERY hard to remove once the bees glue them in place. I've almost had to destroy them to get them out.

Re: Extra drawn frames & swarm control

Originally Posted by AstroBee

Maybe I'm wrong about what Brushy uses. It is smooth on both sides. The two castles that I've used for the past two years have done well - no warping. However, one problem with them is that the dividers are VERY hard to remove once the bees glue them in place. I've almost had to destroy them to get them out.

I use them too, and it is masonite. I can see over time they are not going to cut it and wood is going to be better. Try a hammer- that seems to help crack the seal, but does not work too well when the rest is filled with bees :-)